Two weeks ago I introduced the digest - and the college football season - with a HOTTY TODDY! Now, three weeks into the season the Ole Miss Rebels are 3-0 after a 43-37 win at Alabama. It feels pretty nice, Hotty Toddy!
Last week I debuted a new feedback form in addition to the opt-in form. Please let me know if you have any feedback (and of course, any dogs). I want to make this digest as enjoyable as possible, and I value your opinions. Big thanks to those who provided feedback last week!
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading!
This Day in History
1846 – Neptune isdiscovered by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle, after the existence of an 8th planet was predicted by French astronomer, Le Verrier, because of gravitational disturbances he noticed in the orbit of Uranus. Leverrier communicated his theory to Galle, and that very night Galle and his assistant identified Neptune and confirmed its existence by recording its motion over time. Pretty impressive display of scientific communication and collaboration given the time period.
NOT on this day in history, Pluto was discovered sometime later, but then ultimately kicked out of the planet club because it was too small. And that is the first and only episode of planetary discrimination in history.
I won't pretend to understand all the science, but I am fascinated by it. Our knowledge of the universe is simultaneously extraordinary and finite. The more we learn about how our world works, the stronger our ability becomes to solve problems and build a better future.
In the 1960s the stars captured our national imagination. Today, we too often seem more concerned with what isn't possible. There is a a lot of unknown left out there, we ought to pursue it.
The Earth We Call Home
Given the sheer enormity of the universe, I believe that there certainly is life of some variety out there somewhere. Watching us, or perhaps just crawling around unintelligently on some distant world waiting to be discovered.
Regardless, right now we are here, and we have to figure out what to do with the Earth we call home. Our planet is a blessing; she has given us all sorts of of bounties. As our scientific abilities progress, we are capable of accessing more of nature's gifts, but also of inflicting more damage upon her.
Which brings me to fracking (from Democracy Journal).
Fracking is contentious. On the one hand it does allow us to access energy that is plentiful in America, and cleaner than oil and coal. Conversely, the process can be messy, literally, and even if collected safely, fossil fuels are not the energy source that will take us back to the stars and beyond.
Like with most issues, when discussing fracking and climate change we are forced to choose between two extremes. Either the Earth died yesterday, or the whole thing is a hoax, and she is immune to our behavior. There is, or at least should be, a reality between the two.
Fracking and natural gas ought to be a bridge to an even cleaner and more efficient energy future. It is not a sustainable, long-term energy source, but to not utilize it now would be silly. We already burn dirtier fuels that aren't going away tomorrow regardless, and we pay a lot of money to some not-so-nice people for those fuels. I'd much prefer the jobs and the money stay here to access our resources while we imagine a plan to ultimately move further beyond fossil fuels (from the NYTimes).
Stewards of Ourselves Too
In the past week I've had conversations with multiple people regarding the crisis of refugees fleeing Syria (from the Economist). In particular, I got one question from the feedback form asking what role we played in creating it, and what role we ought to play in stopping it.
The answers are complex; some would absolve us completely, and others would place a disproportionate share of the blame upon us. I'll avoid the complexity of the question for now, and try to focus on solutions.
The solutions are complex too. Each of the world's problems requires an understanding and analysis unique to it, but what does need rethinking is the mindset we apply to problem solving. Traditionally, the criterion we have (mis)applied to shape our solutions is what has been "in our best interest." This isn't necessarily the incorrect way to think, but it needs clarification, because the manner in which we have applied that principle has often been perverse, short-sighted, and self-defeating.
The foundational assumption must be that it is in our best interest to do what is in the best interest of others. The repercussions of breeding resentment are clear -- It often doesn't matter what our role was or was not in creating conflict (sometimes we're guilty, other times we're not), but what matters is whether we foster enmity or friendship. Empathy is in our best interest. I am going to self-promote a piece I wrote last month that touches on this topic (from Medium).
As I said, the actions and implementation for each scenario will be different, and a key component should include empowering the right regional stakeholders, not merely suppression of the wrong ones.
Among the factors we cannot control is how action solely "in our best interest" will be interpreted and remembered by those affected. When it is within our ability to give some sort of assistance to those in need and empower them, that is necessarily in our best interest. The world is too big and complex, the potential enemies too many and diverse, and our resources and abilities too limited if still robust. We need to invest in making friends.
This doesn't mean compromising our core values, nor does it mean disavowing the use of force. Bombing ISIS makes a lot of people safer. But more importantly than what it doesn't mean is what it does mean: empathy; commitment; conversation; and an understanding that we have an obligation to ourselves to help others. The plight of those people may not always be our fault, but if we haven't learned by now that making enemies isn't the best strategy, then we have only ourselves to blame for the consequences of doing so.
Half Gentle Giant, Half Raccoon?
Meet Emma! One of the world's largest and sweetest pups (she's still only three years old!). Despite her size and her warpaint -- there are rumors of a great-great grandfather who was a raccoon -- Emma is truly a gentle giant.
Emma lives in Mississippi with her humans Brenda and Bub, close family friends of my parents. In fact, when my parents travel, as they were recently, one of their dogs, Muffin, visits Emma for sleepovers. Despite being thrice her age but only 1/10 her size, Muffin tries to boss Emma around, but Emma indulges her, and they set like Pinky and the Brain to take over the front yard.
Thanks to Brenda for sharing Emma!
Send Me Your Dogs!
I'm running low on dogs again. Send me pictures of your pups, please! You can email them to me at staton.will@gmail.com or use the feedback form!
